Chained
by missy d'souza
Summary: Astoria gave up her dreams to marry Draco and now she feels stifled in her relationship. She wants to leave him, but can they make their relationship work out?


Cleaning was always Astoria's least favorite job. Ever. There was nothing even remotely enjoyable or worthwhile about cleaning a place. It would just get dirty again anyway. But she had good news today, and even cleaning couldn't dampen them. Maybe it was because she never had to worry about that growing up. They had houselves back then. The good old days.

But she really had nothing better to do. And damn, she hated that more than anything else. She was a top student at Hogwarts when she was there and had been admitted into the European Witches' Ballet Company. It was her one passion. Dance. She remembered thinking then that her life would be perfect, exactly the way she imagined it when she was a little girl. She would become a ballerina, performing all over the world, meeting all of her idols. But one drunken night with the guy of her dreams changed all of that.

Luckily for her, he asked her to marry him. And what choice did she have? He was the father of her children. A rich, respectable pureblood. After seeing her sister and Theo struggle so much with conception, she couldn't bear to take any other action. This child was a gift. What if she never had another? And besides, Draco was the heartthrob of the school, a gentleman, and had control of his father's ridiculous piles of galleons. His reputation had been a bit soiled from the war, but so had hers. Fighting on the wrong side is unfortunate. Their kids would hopefully have a good life. So they married hastily and their son was born healthy (_A son._ Daphne couldn't bear to look at her for months), and everyone lived happily ever after.

_not._

But she had a chance to get her dream back, and she was ready to take it.

Just as she was about to reach under the bed to start her cleaning there, Draco appeared, apparently finished with his work for today. She wasn't exactly sure what he did. Something with a wizarding investment firm? It didn't really matter to her.

"I thought you hate cleaning under the bed."

She stood up and straightened her dress. "I do, it's just that it needs cleaning."

"Relax, I'll clean it." Draco looked at her, still emotionless.

Astoria smiled. She loved it when he offered to do nice things for her. Even if he just meant he would hire an elf to do it. House elves being freed really was inconvenient.

"Thanks. By the way, I have good news."

"What?" Draco didn't even feign interest. He figured it was something about food or Scorpius' poop or something else he wasn't particularly interested in. He really didn't care that much. Family was more of a duty. He learned that from his father.

"I got into Madame Zelda's Ballet Company." 

"You _what?"_

"I got a job there. I auditioned and they immediately let me in. And we will have to travel a bit, but you do work from home. And they offer tutors so that the children of the performers can be home schooled until they're old enough to go to Hogwarts It's a great opportunity."

"You want to be a damn ballerina?"

Astoria's eyes grew steely. "Yes, yes I do, thank you very much. And I always have."

Draco sighed and sat on the bed. "Look Astoria, a woman's place is in the home. That kind of thing is for before marriage. You have a child. An obligation. You need to be a good mother and stay at home and care for your child. That is your duty. Pursuing a foolhardy dream at this point in your life is selfish. End of story."

Draco walked out and slammed the door, ignoring Astoria's glare.

She sighed and took out a piece of paper, knowing exactly what she had to do.

Draco apparated himself home at four in the morning, after a refreshing night of drinking himself into near oblivion. It was really a wonder he didn't splinch himself. He passed out on his bed and didn't wake up till noon. He loved the weekends.

When he finally woke up, he reached to the bedside table, expecting the potion that Astoria always made him to get rid of his hangovers. But in its place was a piece of paper. Draco turned on the light and squinted at the paper.

_Dear Draco, _

_I love dance more than anything else._

_Definitely more than a husband who cheats,_

_who doesn't know me, _

_who doesn't care._

_Yes, I know you're still sleeping with Pansy. And that Irish girl. And probably a bunch of others I don't know about yet. _

_I was in Ravenclaw, Draco. Did you really think I wouldn't notice?_

_This marriage will never work out._

_I knew that the moment you asked me._

_But I said yes anyway._

_Because I was pregnant._

_And scared._

_But I do love Scorpius._

_The divorce papers will come by owl in a few days._

_I do love our son, but I know you'll take better care of him._

_I hope we can work out custody. _

_Goodbye._

_Sorry this didn't work._

_From_

_Astoria. _


End file.
